Globe assemblies have been used for many years to illustrate various features of earth geography and of relative position and relationships of the Earth to the Sun, planets and stars.
In the globe and stand assembly as described in U.S. Pat. No. 209,993, a globe is mounted on an axis running through the north and south poles, around which the globe can revolve. The stand is further provided with a great circle fixed at the ecliptic plane, consisting of a fixed outer circle R and an inner circle G that is capable of revolving around the globe on friction-rollers.
An alternative configuration of a globe stand is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,225, which discloses a globe stand arranged to support a globe on a plurality of points to permit universal movement thereof. The supporting points of the globe stand are spatially correlated with a horizontal ring to dispose the horizon ring around the midportion of the globe. This horizon ring comprises a first, horizontally fixed arcuate element, and a second arcuate element movably associated with the first element to serve alternatively as a portion of the horizon ring and as a movable element out of the plane of the horizon ring.
In another globe assembly, a globe is described in a supporting structure that may include a great circle ring marked with appropriate indicia in U.S. Pat. No. 3,100,353. This assembly is provided with a measuring devices that is a separate piece in the form of a spherical protractor having an inner radius that is substantially the same as or slightly larger than the radius of the globe. When one wishes to make measurements on the globe, one positions the protractor on the globe and uses the markings thereon to carry out the desired measurements.